The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
We (me, Austin, Nyah) really enjoyed reading this book, and have recently been reading our favorite chapters. This book is the story of Edward, a 3 foot tall porcelain rabbit, who is self-centered and has never bothered to learn about real love. He is loved by a girl, Abilene, who unfortunately loses him while traveling by ship to England. Two boys snatch him up and begin tossing him back and forth between them, when he is suddenly lost over the side of the ship. He then begins his miraculous journey by sinking to the bottom of the sea, where he stays many months, before being rescued by a fisherman's net, and taken home by the old fisherman as a gift for his wife, where Edward is christened Susanna and dressed accordingly. The fisherman and his wife love and care for Edward, but soon their daughter arrives after hearing rumors of her parents treating a doll like a child. She tosses him into the garbage, and he ends up in the dump where he remains buried by trash until he is rescued by a dog. Then begins Edwards journey with a hobo and his dog, who again treat him as part of the family. After several years Edward is tragically separated from his companions, and finds himself picked up by an old woman who gives him the job of scarecrow for her garden. He is rescued by a boy as a gift for his sick and dying little sister. When the sister does die, the boy takes Edward and uses him as a puppet to dance to his harmonica music to support himself. Once the boy earns money he goes to a diner for lunch, but finds he doesn't have enough to pay the tab. The cook reacts by smashing Edward's head onto the counter. Through all of his journeys Edward has learned about loving and caring for others, but when he awakes and discovers the boy has given him up to a doll repairman in exchange for fixing Edward, Edward decides he will not love again and hardens his heart. But what does the future hold for Edward as he sits on the store shelves day after day watching customers come and go?
I admit I cried at the end of the book. It was a wonderful ending.
Thumbs UP.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Listening is an Act of Love
Listening is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project, edited and with an introduction by Dave Isay
From the Introduction:
"StoryCorps is built on a few basic ideas: That our stories--the stories of everyday people--are as interesting and important as the celebrity stories we're bombarded with by the media every minute of the day. That if we take the time to listen, we'll find wisdom, wonder, and poetry in the lives and stories of the people all around us. That we all want to know our lives have mattered and we won't ever be forgotten. That listening is an act of love."
StoryCorps is an organization that sets up recording booths at different places around the country, you make an appointment, you bring your dad, friend, neighbor or whoever. A trained facilitator meets you, takes you into the booth, and shuts the door. You sit at a table across from one another, each with a microphone in front of you, the facilitator pushes Record, and you start asking questions.
Which is how this wonderful collection of stories/interviews came to be. The stories of everyday Americans, some on their good days, others on not so good days, still others on the worse days of their lives. I found this collection very powerful, and I'll share a few stories that really have had a strong impact on me.
As a mother, the story of the father telling about how his son was getting ready to die, was terrifying. The son isn't sick with anything, doesn't have a life threatening illness, nothing, but the father tells of how this boy sensed what the future held, and made his last months meaningful. He had a party with friends, bought his mother's day presents, picked out father's day presents, made it all around the bases at his little league game, and then collapsed in the dugout. I want to bawl thinking about it, and even though it is terrifying in the sense of being worried about my own kids, it gives such power to LIFE, and living it TODAY. Go tell someone you love them and give them hugs and kisses, I'm going to.
Okay, I'm back. Another story is a conversation between two inmates in prison, who are both likely to be there a long time, and they are talking about making choices and consequences to choices, and there they are living the consequences of their choices, and I just thought how this could impact people, children, young people, in general, if they really took the time to think about it.
The chapter with stories from people who were impacted by the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina were heartbreaking. Both of those incidents have had such a profound effect on my own vision of the world around me, but to hear directly from people who were directly impacted was amazing, and saddening, and a whole range of emotions.
I highl recommend this book.
Thumbs UP.
From the Introduction:
"StoryCorps is built on a few basic ideas: That our stories--the stories of everyday people--are as interesting and important as the celebrity stories we're bombarded with by the media every minute of the day. That if we take the time to listen, we'll find wisdom, wonder, and poetry in the lives and stories of the people all around us. That we all want to know our lives have mattered and we won't ever be forgotten. That listening is an act of love."
StoryCorps is an organization that sets up recording booths at different places around the country, you make an appointment, you bring your dad, friend, neighbor or whoever. A trained facilitator meets you, takes you into the booth, and shuts the door. You sit at a table across from one another, each with a microphone in front of you, the facilitator pushes Record, and you start asking questions.
Which is how this wonderful collection of stories/interviews came to be. The stories of everyday Americans, some on their good days, others on not so good days, still others on the worse days of their lives. I found this collection very powerful, and I'll share a few stories that really have had a strong impact on me.
As a mother, the story of the father telling about how his son was getting ready to die, was terrifying. The son isn't sick with anything, doesn't have a life threatening illness, nothing, but the father tells of how this boy sensed what the future held, and made his last months meaningful. He had a party with friends, bought his mother's day presents, picked out father's day presents, made it all around the bases at his little league game, and then collapsed in the dugout. I want to bawl thinking about it, and even though it is terrifying in the sense of being worried about my own kids, it gives such power to LIFE, and living it TODAY. Go tell someone you love them and give them hugs and kisses, I'm going to.
Okay, I'm back. Another story is a conversation between two inmates in prison, who are both likely to be there a long time, and they are talking about making choices and consequences to choices, and there they are living the consequences of their choices, and I just thought how this could impact people, children, young people, in general, if they really took the time to think about it.
The chapter with stories from people who were impacted by the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina were heartbreaking. Both of those incidents have had such a profound effect on my own vision of the world around me, but to hear directly from people who were directly impacted was amazing, and saddening, and a whole range of emotions.
I highl recommend this book.
Thumbs UP.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
This is one of my favorite books. It mostly tells the story of Corrie, a woman living in Holland during the Nazi occupation, but also includes many rich details about her family: her father the best watchmaker in the city and well-renowned throughout Europe, her sister Betsie who has ill health and is Corrie's kindred spirit, her brother Willelm and family, as well as many other family and friends. Because of their love for the Lord and all people, they begin working with the resistance to place Jews underground or help provide ration cards and other such items for them. Soon they have also taken in a number of Jews who are unplaceable, due to reasons such as looking very Jewish, having a horrible cough and wheeze, and so on. Corrie's nephews try to train the older three, Corrie, Betsie and their father, how to be prepared for a raid, but Corrie is nontheless unprepared and tricked into revealing they are working for the resistance. Corrie, Betsie, and their father are taken prisoner, along with a number of other people who are in the house for a prayer meeting, but the Jews make it to the secret room and are not captured. It is their incredible faith for the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior that gives them strength to endure all they are faced with. Through little miracles, such as being able to keep their Bible, that they are able to minister to the other women around them, and through being grateful for the seemingly inconsequential things like lice, that they are able to make a difference in the camps they are in. To quote from the back: "Corrie ten Boom stood naked with her older sister Betsie, watching the concentration camp matron beating a prisoner. 'Oh, the poor woman,' Corrie cried. 'Yes, may God forgive her,' Betsie replied. Once again, Corrie realised that it was for the souls of the brutal Nazi guards that her sister prayer." They are both amazing examples of faith, love, and forgiveness.
In My Father's House by Corrie ten Boom
This book focuses on Corrie's life prior to The Hiding Place, and focuses on her work with youth organizations and with mentail handicapped people, work that is later described by her German interrogator as "a waste of time and energy," who continues by saying, "surely one normal person is worth all the half-wits in the world!" Corrie bravely tells him "The truth, Sir, is that Gods viewpoint is somewhat different from ours--so different that we could not even guess at it unless he had given us a book which tells us such things." Over the few days she is able to spend time with this German Lieutenant she is able to share her beliefs and touch his soul (pgs. 160-163 in The Hiding Place). In My Father's House also builds the foundation for Corrie and Betsie's incredbile faith they have in the concentration camps, by giving the reader a better glimpse into their religious education and beliefs. It shows that although both are single, living with their father, neither is idle, nor content to simply take care of their own tasks, but they reach out to all people around them.
I highly recommend both books, though I will say that I prefer the writing style of The Hiding Place over that of In My Father's House. It flows more smoothly as a story, but they are still both excellent books.
Thumbs UP
In My Father's House by Corrie ten Boom
This book focuses on Corrie's life prior to The Hiding Place, and focuses on her work with youth organizations and with mentail handicapped people, work that is later described by her German interrogator as "a waste of time and energy," who continues by saying, "surely one normal person is worth all the half-wits in the world!" Corrie bravely tells him "The truth, Sir, is that Gods viewpoint is somewhat different from ours--so different that we could not even guess at it unless he had given us a book which tells us such things." Over the few days she is able to spend time with this German Lieutenant she is able to share her beliefs and touch his soul (pgs. 160-163 in The Hiding Place). In My Father's House also builds the foundation for Corrie and Betsie's incredbile faith they have in the concentration camps, by giving the reader a better glimpse into their religious education and beliefs. It shows that although both are single, living with their father, neither is idle, nor content to simply take care of their own tasks, but they reach out to all people around them.
I highly recommend both books, though I will say that I prefer the writing style of The Hiding Place over that of In My Father's House. It flows more smoothly as a story, but they are still both excellent books.
Thumbs UP
Monday, January 26, 2009
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
When Elizabeth Ann is orphaned, Great-Aunt Harriet and Aunt Francis wouldn't dream of letting her live with "those horrid Putney, Vermont cousins," and so she comes to live with them. Every detail of Elizabeth's life is overseen by an over-protective Aunt Francis, making her a self-absorbed, hypochondriac nine-year-old who is afraid of everything. When Great-Aunt Harriet must go away for her health and Aunt Frances goes along to care for her, Elizabeth's life is turned upside down when she is sent to live with the dreaded cousins, Uncle Henry, Aunt Abigail, and Cousin Ann. After traveling for many hours on a train Elizabeth wants to revisit all the details of being forced to part with Aunt Frances and her trip., and instead Uncle Henry directs her to drive the carriage home. With a few guidelines Elizabeth succeeds and has her first taste of independence. While rules at the Putney farmhouse are relaxed, Betsy, as she is now called, is also expected to contribute. Betsy can have all the milk and good food she wants, not having to worry about taking more than her "share," but she also must wash her own dishes and help prepare meals. There are also a number of frightening situations that Betsy is forced to face, such as Shep, the big sheepdog, and walking to school by herself. None is as frightening as when she and her friend, Molly, find themselves left by their ride at the county fair. But by now Betsy has learned to think for herself and comes up with her own solution. Betsy loves the Putney family and farm, but when Aunt Frances writes to Betsy that she is coming to get her, Betsy is forced to make a difficult decision.
The kids and I recently finished reading this together and really enjoyed it. In some ways it reminded me of Anne of Green Gables.
Thumbs UP
The kids and I recently finished reading this together and really enjoyed it. In some ways it reminded me of Anne of Green Gables.
Thumbs UP
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling
A fun addition to the Harry Potter collection, these tales were quick and easy, but also enjoyable to read. They were a Christmas present to myself, so of course I love them.
The tales themselves were good-- a cooking pot inflicting its owner with all the maladies of the muggle villagers he refuses to heal until he helps them was original and great stuff, but I especially liked Dumbledore's commentary on them. He's hilarious. There is also great insight into the history of the wizarding world, especially the notes on the family history of the Malfoys.
It almost makes me want to dive in and read all 7 books again. Almost, but not quite yet. But they are on the list of "to read again soon."
The tales themselves were good-- a cooking pot inflicting its owner with all the maladies of the muggle villagers he refuses to heal until he helps them was original and great stuff, but I especially liked Dumbledore's commentary on them. He's hilarious. There is also great insight into the history of the wizarding world, especially the notes on the family history of the Malfoys.
It almost makes me want to dive in and read all 7 books again. Almost, but not quite yet. But they are on the list of "to read again soon."
Monday, December 22, 2008
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Bleh. So, this book was recommended on one of the Yahoo!Groups I belong to, specifically, one of the LDS Mom/Education groups that is somewhat a book group. Its not one the group decided to read, but I read a lot of books on my own and thought I would give it a try. I was kind of thinking this would be like Charlie by Jack Weyland or I don't know what. NOT a "romance" with shallow morals books. I admit I did not read the whole thing, I read the beginning and the last half. Its not like a harlequin romance with all the sex scenes, in fact I don't think there were any sex scenes. Because I didn't like this book I'm not going to hold anything back so if you plan on reading it and don't want to know how everything works out stop now.
It opens with a main character, whose first name I don't know because its covered on the back of the book by the library sticker and I couldn't find it in the first few chapters or last half of the book. I suspect for most of it she is called Mrs. de Winter, anyways, she's the narrator. In the beginning she and her husband are in a small, out of the way hotel in Monte Carlo. They are dealing with a tragedy surrounding Mr. de Winter's great estate, Manderlay.
The book then flashbacks to when they first met. Mrs. de Winter, whose name I don't know and isn't really the Mrs. yet, anywho, she is a personal companion to Mrs. Van Hooper, an embarassing snob who is only looking for the best of people and goes out of her way to make new connections. They are in Monte Carlo and happen to be staying in the same hotel as Mr. de Winter. Mrs. Van Hooper rudely introduces herself to him, without proper introduction by third party etc., and they become acquianted. Mr. de Winter later apologizes to young girl whose name I don't know for the rude way he behaves. Through circumstances Mr. de Winter and girl end up spending time together, and when Mrs. Van Hooper decides to leave Monte Carlo taking girl with her, Mr. de Winter can't stand to see he go and proposes, they get married and are off to Manderlay, which is along the Cornish coast. Oh yeah, its only been ten months since Mr. de Winter's first wife, Rebecca died.
The new Mrs. de Winter quickly realizes that she is stepping into the shoes of a woman that everyone loved. Rebecca was loving and kind and wonderful to everyone. The servants all pity the new Mrs. de Winter, except for Mrs. Danvers, a creepy old lady who is completely loyal to Rebecca, having been her servant since Rebecca was a child, and it out to get the new Mrs. de Winter.
The new Mrs. de Winter comes to believe that everyone misses Rebecca, that whatever her husband is thinking or doing it is about Rebecca, that he can never really love her, that they can never be happy, blah, blah, blah. Then comes the night of a fancy dress ball, Mrs. Danvers tricks the new Mrs. de Winter into wearing the exact same costume that Rebecca had worn when she was alive. There is a great outburst by Mr. de Winter and grand hullabaloo. The new Mrs. de Winter retreats to her room, meeting up with an evilly happy Mrs. Danvers, and removes her costume. She puts on a plain dress and returns to the party, telling everyone the wrong costume was delivered.
The next day a ship crashes on the rocks along the coast. This postpones Mr. and Mrs. de Winter from addressing whatever, their relationship etc., but while a diver is down looking at the hull of crashed ship he discovers the late Rebecca's boat with a dead body in the cabin. Who is it? Well, Mr. de Winter had already identified a different body as Rebecca so no one knows. Well, Mr. de Winter knows.
After they are informed of finding the boat with body, Mrs. de Winter tells Mr. de Winter that she knows he still loves Rebecca, that he can never really love her, that maybe they can start over and be good friends and so on. Then he breaks down and says he nver loved Rebecca. She was really a mean, nasty woman, who spent much of her time living up life with her lovers in London, but managed to keep all this from everyone around Manderlay who thought she was an angel. But then she started bringing one of her lovers, who is also her cousin, to a cabin in Manderlay, Mr. de Winter grew angry about it, and one night when she told him she was with child and she planned on raising it as an heir for him, even though it wasn't his child. So Mr. de Winter shot her. Yup.
Then he put her body in her boat cabin, sent it out to sea, where it would sink and ta-da! Free to remarry. And the real reason he hadn't been happy since they had returned to Manderlay from their honeymoon was because he just knew something like this would happen to destroy their happiness, well, happiness they didn't have but there you go.
So the body is identified as Rebecca, though the water has eroded the evidence of the gun shot. An inquiry is held where everyone testifies to Rebecca's skill on her boat, but conclude she must of accidentally become trapped in her cabin, the boat overturned and she drown. Everyone that is, but the ship builder, whose business slacked off after Rebecca died, so when the boat turned up he went to examine it and found drilled holes in the hull, some other pipes opened up to let water in, etc. and determined these were intentional. Even though it is obvious someone killed her the inquiry determines it was suicide. Yeah.
Later, the lover-cousin turns up at Manderlay to blackmail Mr. de Winter into paying him money on a yearly basis to keep quiet about the murder. Mr. de Winter calls his bluff and phones the local police-investigator guy. The lover-cousin hands over a letter which is from Rebecca saying she has something important to tell him so he should come to Manderlay right away, which he didn't because he was out late. The lover-cousin says she would never have written this letter if she was really going to kill herself.
The policeman starts to suspects something is up, but with Mr. de Winter calmly denying killing Rebecca, and aiding in the investigation even, he can't decide whats up. Then they call for Mrs. Danvers who produces Rebecca's diary, which shows a mysterious appointment with a man named Baker the day of her death. They find out Baker is a doctor and head to his office the next day. Mr. and Mrs. de Winter conclude this is their last time together so they remain attached at the hip, jumping to the conclusion that the doctor will tell everyone she was pregnant, it will come out that it isn't de Winter's child, and he'll be arrested.
Instead the doctor tells them Rebecca had cancer, and was dying. The policeman concludes Rebecca must have killed herself, even though its pretty obvious to everyone else Mr. de Winter did her in. The lover-cousin wonders if cancer is contagious, says the doctor must be on their side, and threatens that the de Winter's will get theirs.
Mr. de Winter decides Rebecca must have intended for him to kill her by lying about being pregnant, and decides they will travel all night so they can go home to Manderlay. Once they arrive, Mrs. Danvers has disappeared and Manderlay is burned to the ground.
Thus they are hiding out, back in Monte Carlo, burdened with the past.
What a soap opera. Rebecca intened to have him kill her? Yeah, that makes it okay. And Mr. de Winter is burdened with having his happiness destroyed by the truth coming out, but doesn't feel bad about killing someone to protect Manderlay? Yuck
Thumbs DOWN.
It opens with a main character, whose first name I don't know because its covered on the back of the book by the library sticker and I couldn't find it in the first few chapters or last half of the book. I suspect for most of it she is called Mrs. de Winter, anyways, she's the narrator. In the beginning she and her husband are in a small, out of the way hotel in Monte Carlo. They are dealing with a tragedy surrounding Mr. de Winter's great estate, Manderlay.
The book then flashbacks to when they first met. Mrs. de Winter, whose name I don't know and isn't really the Mrs. yet, anywho, she is a personal companion to Mrs. Van Hooper, an embarassing snob who is only looking for the best of people and goes out of her way to make new connections. They are in Monte Carlo and happen to be staying in the same hotel as Mr. de Winter. Mrs. Van Hooper rudely introduces herself to him, without proper introduction by third party etc., and they become acquianted. Mr. de Winter later apologizes to young girl whose name I don't know for the rude way he behaves. Through circumstances Mr. de Winter and girl end up spending time together, and when Mrs. Van Hooper decides to leave Monte Carlo taking girl with her, Mr. de Winter can't stand to see he go and proposes, they get married and are off to Manderlay, which is along the Cornish coast. Oh yeah, its only been ten months since Mr. de Winter's first wife, Rebecca died.
The new Mrs. de Winter quickly realizes that she is stepping into the shoes of a woman that everyone loved. Rebecca was loving and kind and wonderful to everyone. The servants all pity the new Mrs. de Winter, except for Mrs. Danvers, a creepy old lady who is completely loyal to Rebecca, having been her servant since Rebecca was a child, and it out to get the new Mrs. de Winter.
The new Mrs. de Winter comes to believe that everyone misses Rebecca, that whatever her husband is thinking or doing it is about Rebecca, that he can never really love her, that they can never be happy, blah, blah, blah. Then comes the night of a fancy dress ball, Mrs. Danvers tricks the new Mrs. de Winter into wearing the exact same costume that Rebecca had worn when she was alive. There is a great outburst by Mr. de Winter and grand hullabaloo. The new Mrs. de Winter retreats to her room, meeting up with an evilly happy Mrs. Danvers, and removes her costume. She puts on a plain dress and returns to the party, telling everyone the wrong costume was delivered.
The next day a ship crashes on the rocks along the coast. This postpones Mr. and Mrs. de Winter from addressing whatever, their relationship etc., but while a diver is down looking at the hull of crashed ship he discovers the late Rebecca's boat with a dead body in the cabin. Who is it? Well, Mr. de Winter had already identified a different body as Rebecca so no one knows. Well, Mr. de Winter knows.
After they are informed of finding the boat with body, Mrs. de Winter tells Mr. de Winter that she knows he still loves Rebecca, that he can never really love her, that maybe they can start over and be good friends and so on. Then he breaks down and says he nver loved Rebecca. She was really a mean, nasty woman, who spent much of her time living up life with her lovers in London, but managed to keep all this from everyone around Manderlay who thought she was an angel. But then she started bringing one of her lovers, who is also her cousin, to a cabin in Manderlay, Mr. de Winter grew angry about it, and one night when she told him she was with child and she planned on raising it as an heir for him, even though it wasn't his child. So Mr. de Winter shot her. Yup.
Then he put her body in her boat cabin, sent it out to sea, where it would sink and ta-da! Free to remarry. And the real reason he hadn't been happy since they had returned to Manderlay from their honeymoon was because he just knew something like this would happen to destroy their happiness, well, happiness they didn't have but there you go.
So the body is identified as Rebecca, though the water has eroded the evidence of the gun shot. An inquiry is held where everyone testifies to Rebecca's skill on her boat, but conclude she must of accidentally become trapped in her cabin, the boat overturned and she drown. Everyone that is, but the ship builder, whose business slacked off after Rebecca died, so when the boat turned up he went to examine it and found drilled holes in the hull, some other pipes opened up to let water in, etc. and determined these were intentional. Even though it is obvious someone killed her the inquiry determines it was suicide. Yeah.
Later, the lover-cousin turns up at Manderlay to blackmail Mr. de Winter into paying him money on a yearly basis to keep quiet about the murder. Mr. de Winter calls his bluff and phones the local police-investigator guy. The lover-cousin hands over a letter which is from Rebecca saying she has something important to tell him so he should come to Manderlay right away, which he didn't because he was out late. The lover-cousin says she would never have written this letter if she was really going to kill herself.
The policeman starts to suspects something is up, but with Mr. de Winter calmly denying killing Rebecca, and aiding in the investigation even, he can't decide whats up. Then they call for Mrs. Danvers who produces Rebecca's diary, which shows a mysterious appointment with a man named Baker the day of her death. They find out Baker is a doctor and head to his office the next day. Mr. and Mrs. de Winter conclude this is their last time together so they remain attached at the hip, jumping to the conclusion that the doctor will tell everyone she was pregnant, it will come out that it isn't de Winter's child, and he'll be arrested.
Instead the doctor tells them Rebecca had cancer, and was dying. The policeman concludes Rebecca must have killed herself, even though its pretty obvious to everyone else Mr. de Winter did her in. The lover-cousin wonders if cancer is contagious, says the doctor must be on their side, and threatens that the de Winter's will get theirs.
Mr. de Winter decides Rebecca must have intended for him to kill her by lying about being pregnant, and decides they will travel all night so they can go home to Manderlay. Once they arrive, Mrs. Danvers has disappeared and Manderlay is burned to the ground.
Thus they are hiding out, back in Monte Carlo, burdened with the past.
What a soap opera. Rebecca intened to have him kill her? Yeah, that makes it okay. And Mr. de Winter is burdened with having his happiness destroyed by the truth coming out, but doesn't feel bad about killing someone to protect Manderlay? Yuck
Thumbs DOWN.
Monday, December 8, 2008
The Squire's Tales by Gerald Morris
This is one of my favorite series--which means it is one I've read multiple times and still love it!! I believe all of these books are true to the tales they are based on, but also very original. I like how the main characters in these books would be considered "minor" characters, like the first cople books are told through the eyes of Terence, squire to Sir Gawain, King Arthur's greatest knight. Morris has a very humorous style of writing--dry and subtle--it makes reading enjoyable. I really enjoy the first 7, but there was something about the last one that made it a so-so story. Maybe it was because it is about the illegitimate sons of the knights, or because the quest they are on ends differently (doesn't feel as victorious as past books), or the story wasn't as fluid as the others--or all of the above.
Morris has a very humorous style of writing--dry and subtle
Again, I've mostly copied the story plots from my library website or amazon, but have added some of my own comments as well.
1. The Squire's Tale (1998)
In medieval England, fourteen-year-old Terence, who has been raised by a hermit who sees time backwards--seeing the future and forgetting the past, finds his tranquil existence suddenly changed when he becomes the squire of the young Gawain of Orkney and accompanies him on a long quest, proving Gawain's worth as a knight and revealing an important secret about his own true identity.
This tale is based on the "ugly woman"--one of the Gawain legends. Sir Gawain becomes a knight of the round table by defeating a recreant knight with a stew pot
2. The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady (1999)
Young Terence, squire to Sir Gawain, can't deny that things at Camelot are changing--and not for the better. Handsome new knight Sir Lancelot has eclipsed Gawain's star and also has won the heart of Queen Guinevere, sending courtiers into a gossipy frenzy, and beloved King Arthur into a depression. When the mysterious, otherworldly Green Knight issues a daunting challenge, only Gawain accepts, proving his loyalty to Arthur, though embracing potential tragedy. But the quest proves a soul-searching, ultimately rewarding personal pilgrimage. A sequel of sorts to Morris' The Squire's Tale (1998), this delightful interpretation of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" stands well on its own. (Amazon)
3. The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf (2000)
Teenaged Lady Lynet sets out for Camelot, looking for a champion to free her family's castle from the siege of an evil knight who is demanding her sisters hand in marriage. Along the way, she befriends several mysterious companions, none of whom is exactly as he or she first appears. Scattered throughout Lynet's saga are droll, unusually modern portrayals of many familiar Arthurian characters. The heroine, nicknamed the Savage Damsel, is a take-charge kind of gal. Noble Sir Gareth appears as a "clothheaded ninny," whose turbocharged sense of honor forces him into an unnecessary duel with every knight he stumbles across, and brave Sir Lancelot has burned out on chivalry and admits he has become a media creation. The novel is also enjoyable for its good-natured spoofing of the conventions of its medieval setting (my favorite thing about Morris' books!!). Knights of the Round Table avoid any tournament where the prize is a lady's hand in marriage, figuring there must be something wrong with her. Characters poke fun at one another's lofty, Maloryesque language. Also, some of the most courageous knights are shown to be none too bright, which explains why they risk their lives so readily. (Amazon)
4. Parsifal's Page (2001)
Morris retells a knight's legend from the perspective of his helper and companion, Piers becomes squire to Parsifal. In this entertaining and substantive story, Piers's wanderlust takes him to the court of King Arthur where he meets up with a lost soul, Parsifal, who longs to be a knight. Piers's mother has regaled him with stories of her life as a maid-in-waiting at the French court, so he has grown up with lofty ideas and the ambition to become a knight's page. Parsifal is clearly in need of his expertise--he doesn't know anything about proper dress, manners, or social customs. Readers familiar with the legend will recognize the main events. After Parsifal fails to ask "the" question and realizes his mistake, he continues his Grail quest alone, and Piers joins Sir Gawain and his page on further adventures, thus continuing the story begun in The Squire's Tale. (Amazon)
5. The Ballad of Sir Dinadan (2003)--My favorite one
Sir Dinadan is a reluctant knight who upholds the noble standards of Camelot in his own way. The likable and unassuming Dinadan, younger brother of the famous Sir Tristram, travels the land, encountering deceptive damsels and foolish knights. His compassion and common sense earn him the respect of many, and his keen wit satirizes the excesses of Arthurian heroism that he observes along the way. The tragic tale of Tristram and Iseult becomes a funny story "about two fools drinking from the wrong flask." Dinadan befriends a would-be knight named Culloch, but can't endure the useless parade of tasks his friend eagerly attempts to win a bride. The humor is accessible; readers don't need to know The Faery Queene to appreciate Dinadan's playful mockery of allegory (or, as he calls it, "saying things by pretending to say something else"). Along with the satire, though, Dinadan succeeds in righting some true wrongs, protecting a young woman he admires, and restoring a deposed king to his throne. (Amazon)
6. The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight (2004)
Sarah, an orphaned teenager who is on a quest for revenge when she encounters Queen Guinevere and Sir Kai. After Kai catches Sarah trying to steal his sword, he gives her a special sword made for his son and teaches her how to use it. When the evil Sir Meliagant kidnaps Guinevere and wounds Kai, Sarah searches for a way to help them. A crone leads her to Camelot where she meets King Arthur, and she goes with Sir Gawain and his squire to rescue Kai and Guinevere. On the road, they encounter trickery, danger, and many characters and plot twists. Sarah gets her revenge, but it is not sweet, and this well-drawn character eventually finds strength and peace within herself.
This one addresses the more serious issue of prejudice, injustice, and violence against Jews in medieval Europe, but still remains true to Morris's style. (Amazon)
7. The Lioness and Her Knight (2005)
Lady Luneta lives cooped up with her parents in a remote region of the kingdom and, like many teens, longs to get out and have some fun. When her parents agree to let her see a bit of the world, and to give them a break from mother-daughter turmoil, Luneta is thrilled. Soon she is on her way, accompanied by her cousin, the knight Ywain, to the castle of a family friend near Camelot. They meet Rhience, a former knight who has sworn to live as a court fool for one year and not use a sword against anyone, and the three travel together, with Ywain imagining himself fighting gloriously in battle and Rhience spouting barbs and witticisms along the way. Once at Lady Laudine's castle, Ywain kills their hostess's husband in battle and immediately falls in love with the lady herself, Luneta becomes an enchantress under the direction of her great-aunt Morgan Le Fay, and Rhience proves to be a loyal companion and not such a fool after all.
The plot feels like it runs a bit long and sometimes seems to move away from the main plot, but is overall good. (Amazon)
8. The Quest of the Fair Unknown (2006)
Beaufils spends the first 17 years of his life in a forest cottage with his loving mother, never meeting another human being. Then, upon her urging, he goes forth into the world of men, to seek out King Arthur's court and his erstwhile father. This unique background makes the protagonist the perfect foil for the other characters' antics. He bumbles along, innocently taming evil as he seeks his father and helps his friends complete their own quests. (Amazon)
"Bumbles along" is how I would describe the plot. For whatever reason this one just wasn't as enjoyable.
Morris has a very humorous style of writing--dry and subtle
Again, I've mostly copied the story plots from my library website or amazon, but have added some of my own comments as well.
1. The Squire's Tale (1998)
In medieval England, fourteen-year-old Terence, who has been raised by a hermit who sees time backwards--seeing the future and forgetting the past, finds his tranquil existence suddenly changed when he becomes the squire of the young Gawain of Orkney and accompanies him on a long quest, proving Gawain's worth as a knight and revealing an important secret about his own true identity.
This tale is based on the "ugly woman"--one of the Gawain legends. Sir Gawain becomes a knight of the round table by defeating a recreant knight with a stew pot
2. The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady (1999)
Young Terence, squire to Sir Gawain, can't deny that things at Camelot are changing--and not for the better. Handsome new knight Sir Lancelot has eclipsed Gawain's star and also has won the heart of Queen Guinevere, sending courtiers into a gossipy frenzy, and beloved King Arthur into a depression. When the mysterious, otherworldly Green Knight issues a daunting challenge, only Gawain accepts, proving his loyalty to Arthur, though embracing potential tragedy. But the quest proves a soul-searching, ultimately rewarding personal pilgrimage. A sequel of sorts to Morris' The Squire's Tale (1998), this delightful interpretation of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" stands well on its own. (Amazon)
3. The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf (2000)
Teenaged Lady Lynet sets out for Camelot, looking for a champion to free her family's castle from the siege of an evil knight who is demanding her sisters hand in marriage. Along the way, she befriends several mysterious companions, none of whom is exactly as he or she first appears. Scattered throughout Lynet's saga are droll, unusually modern portrayals of many familiar Arthurian characters. The heroine, nicknamed the Savage Damsel, is a take-charge kind of gal. Noble Sir Gareth appears as a "clothheaded ninny," whose turbocharged sense of honor forces him into an unnecessary duel with every knight he stumbles across, and brave Sir Lancelot has burned out on chivalry and admits he has become a media creation. The novel is also enjoyable for its good-natured spoofing of the conventions of its medieval setting (my favorite thing about Morris' books!!). Knights of the Round Table avoid any tournament where the prize is a lady's hand in marriage, figuring there must be something wrong with her. Characters poke fun at one another's lofty, Maloryesque language. Also, some of the most courageous knights are shown to be none too bright, which explains why they risk their lives so readily. (Amazon)
4. Parsifal's Page (2001)
Morris retells a knight's legend from the perspective of his helper and companion, Piers becomes squire to Parsifal. In this entertaining and substantive story, Piers's wanderlust takes him to the court of King Arthur where he meets up with a lost soul, Parsifal, who longs to be a knight. Piers's mother has regaled him with stories of her life as a maid-in-waiting at the French court, so he has grown up with lofty ideas and the ambition to become a knight's page. Parsifal is clearly in need of his expertise--he doesn't know anything about proper dress, manners, or social customs. Readers familiar with the legend will recognize the main events. After Parsifal fails to ask "the" question and realizes his mistake, he continues his Grail quest alone, and Piers joins Sir Gawain and his page on further adventures, thus continuing the story begun in The Squire's Tale. (Amazon)
5. The Ballad of Sir Dinadan (2003)--My favorite one
Sir Dinadan is a reluctant knight who upholds the noble standards of Camelot in his own way. The likable and unassuming Dinadan, younger brother of the famous Sir Tristram, travels the land, encountering deceptive damsels and foolish knights. His compassion and common sense earn him the respect of many, and his keen wit satirizes the excesses of Arthurian heroism that he observes along the way. The tragic tale of Tristram and Iseult becomes a funny story "about two fools drinking from the wrong flask." Dinadan befriends a would-be knight named Culloch, but can't endure the useless parade of tasks his friend eagerly attempts to win a bride. The humor is accessible; readers don't need to know The Faery Queene to appreciate Dinadan's playful mockery of allegory (or, as he calls it, "saying things by pretending to say something else"). Along with the satire, though, Dinadan succeeds in righting some true wrongs, protecting a young woman he admires, and restoring a deposed king to his throne. (Amazon)
6. The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight (2004)
Sarah, an orphaned teenager who is on a quest for revenge when she encounters Queen Guinevere and Sir Kai. After Kai catches Sarah trying to steal his sword, he gives her a special sword made for his son and teaches her how to use it. When the evil Sir Meliagant kidnaps Guinevere and wounds Kai, Sarah searches for a way to help them. A crone leads her to Camelot where she meets King Arthur, and she goes with Sir Gawain and his squire to rescue Kai and Guinevere. On the road, they encounter trickery, danger, and many characters and plot twists. Sarah gets her revenge, but it is not sweet, and this well-drawn character eventually finds strength and peace within herself.
This one addresses the more serious issue of prejudice, injustice, and violence against Jews in medieval Europe, but still remains true to Morris's style. (Amazon)
7. The Lioness and Her Knight (2005)
Lady Luneta lives cooped up with her parents in a remote region of the kingdom and, like many teens, longs to get out and have some fun. When her parents agree to let her see a bit of the world, and to give them a break from mother-daughter turmoil, Luneta is thrilled. Soon she is on her way, accompanied by her cousin, the knight Ywain, to the castle of a family friend near Camelot. They meet Rhience, a former knight who has sworn to live as a court fool for one year and not use a sword against anyone, and the three travel together, with Ywain imagining himself fighting gloriously in battle and Rhience spouting barbs and witticisms along the way. Once at Lady Laudine's castle, Ywain kills their hostess's husband in battle and immediately falls in love with the lady herself, Luneta becomes an enchantress under the direction of her great-aunt Morgan Le Fay, and Rhience proves to be a loyal companion and not such a fool after all.
The plot feels like it runs a bit long and sometimes seems to move away from the main plot, but is overall good. (Amazon)
8. The Quest of the Fair Unknown (2006)
Beaufils spends the first 17 years of his life in a forest cottage with his loving mother, never meeting another human being. Then, upon her urging, he goes forth into the world of men, to seek out King Arthur's court and his erstwhile father. This unique background makes the protagonist the perfect foil for the other characters' antics. He bumbles along, innocently taming evil as he seeks his father and helps his friends complete their own quests. (Amazon)
"Bumbles along" is how I would describe the plot. For whatever reason this one just wasn't as enjoyable.
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